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Vegan Diet May Slow Aging Process
19 Aug
Summary
- Vegan diet for 4 weeks may reduce inflammation and slow aging.
- Study analyzed DNA methylation changes in 48 healthy adults.
- Diet quality matters; not all vegan diets offer health benefits.
A recent randomized clinical trial indicates that adhering to a vegan diet for just four weeks may lead to reduced inflammation and slower biological aging. The study, involving 48 healthy adults, observed changes in DNA methylation, an epigenetic process affecting gene activity, and linked these to improved immune profiles and aging markers.
Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, and the University of Freiburg designed diets with similar caloric intake to isolate the effects of food composition. The findings suggest that vegan dietary patterns can influence mechanisms regulating gene expression, supporting nutrigenomics.
Experts caution that these preliminary results require larger, longer-term studies for confirmation. They also stress the importance of diet quality, noting that a vegan diet high in processed foods may not yield similar health benefits. Increasing plant-based foods is beneficial, whether or not one adopts a fully vegan lifestyle.
